Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation | |
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Directed by | Charles Burnett |
Screenplay by | Charles Burnett |
Produced by | Namibian Film Commission Pan Afrikan Center of Namibia |
Starring | Carl Lumbly Danny Glover Chrisjan Appollus Lazarus Jacobs |
Cinematography | John Njaga Demps |
Edited by | Edwin Santiago |
Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
Release date |
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Running time | 161 minutes |
Countries | Namibia United States |
Languages | English Afrikaans Oshiwambo Otjiherero German |
Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation is a 2007 epic film on the Namibian independence struggle against South African occupation as seen through the life of Sam Nujoma, the leader of the South West Africa People's Organisation and the first president of the Republic of Namibia. The film was written and directed by Charles Burnett and stars Carl Lumbly and Danny Glover. [1] The production was financed by the government of Namibia. [2] Music composed by Stephen James Taylor won the award for Best African Film at the Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival where the film also won for Best Music Score and for Best Director.
The film's dialogue is in English, Afrikaans, Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, and German. [3] [4]
Carl Lumbly plays Namibian freedom fighter and first president Sam Nujoma. Joel Haikali was used for Sam Nujoma's early years. Danny Glover plays the priest Elias, who becomes Sam Nujoma's friend over the course of the film.
The production cost of NAD 100 million, approximately US$ 15 million, was covered by the Pan-African Center of Namibia. [5] The languages of the film are: English (main language), Afrikaans, Oshivambo, Otjiherero and German. The dialogues were dubbed in English, all other languages are translated using subtitles.
The film was shown at the Festival de cine Africano Córdoba in 2008. [6] In Germany the film was released on DVD on March 19, 2010 as Namibia - The Fight for Freedom and in France on February 14, 2012 as Namibia.
Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, is a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma was a founding member and the first president of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1960. Prior to 1960, SWAPO was known as the Ovambo People's Organisation (OPO). He played an important role as leader of the national liberation movement in campaigning for Namibia's political independence from South African rule. He established the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1962 and launched a guerrilla war against the apartheid government of South Africa in August 1966 at Omugulugwombashe, beginning after the United Nations withdrew the mandate for South Africa to govern the territory. Nujoma led SWAPO during the lengthy Namibian War of Independence, which lasted from 1966 to 1989.
Charles Burnett is an American film director, film producer, writer, editor, actor, photographer, and cinematographer. His most popular films include Killer of Sheep (1978), My Brother's Wedding (1983), To Sleep with Anger (1990), The Glass Shield (1994), and Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation (2007). He has been involved in other types of motion pictures including shorts, documentaries, and a TV series.
The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) is the public broadcaster of Namibia. It was established in 1979, under the name South West African Broadcasting Corporation (SWABC).
The Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) was a nationalist organization that existed between 1959 and 1960 in South West Africa. The aim of the organization was to end the South African colonial administration, and the placement of South West Africa under the United Nations Trusteeship system. Andimba Toivo ya Toivo had founded its predecessor, the Ovamboland People's Congress, in 1957 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1959, Sam Nujoma and Jacob Kuhangua established the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) at the Old Location in Windhoek. Sam Nujoma was the president of OPO until its transformation into the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) a year later and remained president until Namibia gained independence in 1990.
Katutura is a township of Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. Katutura was created in 1961 following the forced removal of Windhoek's black population from the Old Location, which afterwards was developed into the suburb of Hochland Park. Sam Nujoma Stadium, built in 2005, is located within Katutura. Katutura Community Radio, a community-based radio station, also operates from the township. Katutura State Hospital, one of two State Hospitals in the Windhoek area, is located in the township.
Where Others Wavered: The Autobiography of Sam Nujoma. My Life in SWAPO and My Participation in the Liberation Struggle of Namibia, commonly known as Where Others Wavered, is an autobiographical work written by Sam Nujoma and published by Panaf Books in 2001. The text describes his life, from his childhood through his beginnings with SWAPO, exile in Angola and Zambia, as well as part of his presidency.
The Old Location was an area segregated for Black residents of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was situated in the area between today's suburbs of Hochland Park and Pioneers Park.
Toula ou Le génie des eaux is a 1973 drama film directed by Moustapha Alassane.
The Festival of African Cinema (FCAT), also known as Tarifa-Tangier African Film Festival, originally African Film Showcase of Tarifa (2004–2006) and formerly African Film Festival of Tarifa (2007–2014), the African Film Festival of Cordoba (2012–2015), is an annual festival devoted to African cinema held in the Spanish city of Tarifa and the Moroccan city of Tangier.
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Mburumba Kerina was a Namibian politician and academic. He was a co-founder of SWAPO, NUDO, and FCN, and the founder of a host of smaller political parties. For independent Namibia, he was a member of Namibia's Constituent Assembly, as well as the National Assembly and the National Council. Kerina coined the name "Namib" for the independent state "Namibia" on the territory of South West Africa.
Kovambo Theopoldine Katjimune Nujoma is a Namibian political figure and former First Lady of Namibia.
The Independence Memorial Museum is a history museum in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It focuses on the anti-colonial resistance and the national liberation movement of Namibia.
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